Henry IV of Navarre: King of France and Catholic Convert

          

           

             

              The period known as the French Wars of Religion saw much of France under chaos and disarray. It was a period between mid and late sixteenth century that saw not only civil wars and massacres among the French people, but also infighting amongst the French nobility for the throne. These conflicts were also sown by foreign interests such as Spain and England, which in turn added even more emphasis on the dire situation caused by these wars. All these events had one theme in common, and that is the overbearing influence of religion, particularly French Catholicism and French Protestantism (who are referred to as the Huguenots). While it was a time of great turmoil, it was also a time of critical actions and drastic political maneuvers. 
              At the center of French Wars of Religion is Henry of Navarre (Henry IV). At the time of the death of Henry III (who was the king of France), Navarre was recognized as heir presumptive of the French throne by France’s strict adherence to the tradition of Salic law, which secured Navarre’s right to the throne through agnatic male descendance. Despite Navarre being born a Catholic, he was strictly brought up by his mother Jeanne d’Albert to be a Protestant. D’Albert, while at the same time being the queen regent of the Kingdom of Navarre, had proclaimed the state religion of Navarre to also be Calvinist (Protestant).[1] This of course was not a favorable trait to possess from the perspective of French Estates General while examining Henry IV’s claim to the throne, seeing as how France had always been ruled by a Catholic. Ever since Clovis I (the first king of the Franks) France adhered to Catholicism. France was even unofficially dubbed “the eldest daughter of the Catholic Church”, just as an illustration of how much French identity and the stability of French society hinged on being ruled by a Catholic monarch, and having a Catholic state religion. One such group that sought to preserve this tradition during the period of the French Religious Wars was the Catholic League which had been the bane of Henry of Navarre’s existence.  In the end, religion was both a lasting testament for Navarre to embrace, and an obstacle for him to overcome, if he wanted to fulfill his destiny to become king of France.

            After a long series of battles, assassination attempts (and successes), massacres and conspiracies, the conflict of interests over the succession of the French throne had reached a period that was seen as an uneasy balance. Between Henry IV and the Catholic League, there was no end to the conflict in sight except for more wars. Despite there being a few decisive victories for both camps, what little victories were won by either side were mostly pyrrhic in the sense that they did not yet change the outcome of the conflict. The Battle of Ivry in 1590 for example, was seen on the surface to be a great blow to the Catholic League from Navarre’s camp. Yet despite this victory, the Catholic League doubled down on their efforts and requested Spain’s aid (who had been a big supporter of the Catholic League) to both relieve and bolster their cause.[2] This was a frustrating development for Henry IV. It was just one of the many outcomes which proved to him that no matter how great his efforts and victories were, they would prove to be ineffective in nature.

            Yet despite everything, in July 1593, Navarre renounced Protestantism and was admitted into the Church, and at long last the French Wars of Religion were coming to an end.[3]  This was seen as the major turning point in the conflict, which quickly gave way to Navarre’s both legitimate and orthodox reign as the king of France.

            Within the framework of all the events that took place from beginning to end of Navarre’s campaign for the throne, one has to wonder what exactly were the motives for his conversion. The act of conversion was seen as a very important matter not just from a public perspective, but from a personal one as well. The process of a genuine conversion in medieval France, generally speaking, involved deep soul searching on a personal, theological, and metaphysical level. Then again, others might view religion as being just a social instrument that can be used to fulfill personal or political ambitions. All of these aspects beg the question of whether or not the sincerity of such an act done by Henry IV was justified through spiritual and altruistic causes, or ulterior political motives. In the end after all, it was the ancient image of France that was at stake, and her reputation of whether she was truly a kingdom ruled by a monarch, that is, through the grace of God and divine Catholic right. What Navarre’s experience surrounding his conversion meant to his Catholic and Huguenot subjects and how they could come to accept it as sincere, merits very close attention.[4]

            Niccolo Machiavelli once said,

“Therefore, a prudent ruler ought not to keep faith when by so doing; it would be against his interest when the reasons for which made him bind himself to it in the first place no longer exist.”[5]

It is interesting that this quote should mirror